Counterbalance systems may provide a method for compensating for a load. Existing counterbalance engine and systems may be constrained by their respective designs to small loads, limited motion, complex load adjustments, unorthodox travel patterns and positions, or may have other functional issues. In many cases, counterbalancing systems are not easily utilized or integrated with devices, systems, furniture, or other elements because of their weight, size, shape, center of gravity, contour, frame or load bearing structure, and complexity.
For example, counterbalance systems have not been effectively utilized in storage systems. In particular, many simple and complex forms of vertical storage, including overhead storage, are inconvenient or difficult to access. For example, many individuals, such as children, elderly individuals, disabled parties, and those that are vertically challenged may have some difficulty accessing cabinets, shelves, or other storage elements within a home, commercial facility, or other structure. An individual's capacity to exert a sufficient operational force, even upon accessing a cabinet, shelf or other storage element, may be limited based on age, physical impairments or other mobility/agility challenges. For example, exerting force when ones arms are in an awkward position, above the shoulders or below the waste or knees may be limited or even prohibitive based upon a human condition or limitation. Likewise, bending over to access stored goods may be equally difficult for other individuals. As a result, it may be difficult to utilize vertical storage space effectively while still providing users full and uninhibited access to the stored goods.
In many cases, the cited prior art has undesirable limitations. In particular, existing systems have been limited to very specific solutions and are not equipped with a function and/or optimized for performing automatic balancing for a load. Existing systems without automatic adjustments and optimized transformations of a balancing force are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,798,035 to Duval and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/052,155 to Van Dorsser. In many cases, the existing systems are also not adaptable to different applications, structures, hardware, environments, and user needs. For example, in some situations or circumstances a single type of energy storage device, such as a coil spring may be utilized or required and a path of a carriage may be limited reducing adaptability. A system that may require an extremely strong spring and supporting linkages with a limited force generation capacity and displacement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,910,335 to Wales. Another existing system may require a zero free length spring, significant load displacement, and changes to the energy state of the spring to adjust to a load as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,876 to Nathan. Other aircraft specific solutions may tilt the load during displacement, provide limited displacement paths, and utilize force engine and linkage configurations that may be complex or cumbersome, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,269 to Harriehausen and U.S. Pat. No. 7,481,397 to Steinbeck.
Illustrative embodiments of the present invention provide a force engine and counterbalancing system that automatically adapts to changing loads while optimizing and enhancing the magnitude, path, orientation, and displacement of the load and the systems and methods for driving the load. In addition, the systems, methods, and components described in the illustrative embodiments may be interchangeable and customized for numerous applications and required functionality thereby providing flexibility in configuring and transferring forces to meet needs of the user.
The additional use of kinematic transformations at multiple positions within the force engine and storage system and positioning of the force engine and lift arms improves the flexibility in designing systems that achieve desirable results.